Recovery and characterisation of DNA from virgin olive oil

The characterisation of the genetic identity of DNA recoverable from olive oil could facilitate the assessment of its place of origin and conformity to type thanks to the particular regional spread of olive cultivars and to their different contributions to the olive oil mixture as stated by each Protected Designation of Origin regulation. This requires that intact DNA should be recovered from virgin olive oil. In an attempt to recover DNA from virgin olive oil, the performance of three different oil production methods was compared. The recorded data demonstrate that only olive oil obtained by using proteinase K treatment during the malaxation process contains DNA amenable to random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR amplification. This important result represents the first unambiguous and reproducible RAPD-PCR amplification of DNA recovered from virgin olive oil

RAPD-PCR amplification of DNA from virgin olive oil

The characterization of the genetic identity of DNA recoverable from olive oil could facilitate the identification of the source cultivar. This requires that intact DNA or large fragments suitable for amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) should be recovered from olive oil. This paper presents the preliminary results of an experiment evaluating the extent to which DNA recoverable from the veiled virgin olive (cv. Carolea) oil would allow PCR amplification useful for random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fingerprinting. Only residual DNA from olive oil sediments obtained by protease treatment was useful in RAPD-PCR amplification

Kaolin protects olive fruits from Bactrocera oleae (Gmelin) infestations unaffecting olive oil quality

The efficacy of the processed kaolin “Surround WP” to control olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae Gmelin, field infestations was investigated in east Calabria. The preliminary results showed that fruit infestation levels were significantly reduced on kaolin-treated trees compared with untreated trees. The promising results of these experiments points to the feasibility of using particle film technology composed of a non-toxic material, to avoid olive fly damage as an alternative to the applications of rotenone in organic orchards. Finally, kaolin treatment unaffected the nutritional and sensory quality parameters of the corresponding virgin olive oils obtained by a laboratory scale olive mill, thus satisfying the present quality requirements